


The Introduction of Maxwell

by squareclair



Series: Maxwell's Journey Through the Commonwealth [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Agender Character, Canon Divergence, Other, Sole survivor's origin story, Toby the three legged dog, Trans Male Character, You know what happens, character with fibromyalgia, slight script divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 02:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9636044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squareclair/pseuds/squareclair
Summary: Maxwell is happily married to his husband Corey, beginning his life retired from the military. Unfortunately, there is a total atomic annihilation of life as Maxwell knows it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Meet Maxwell my trans boy child.  
> ind - nongendered equivalent of sir/ma'am

Maxwell was in bed when his dog Toby decided to hop on his stomach. Letting out a grunt, Maxwell rubbed Toby’s snout tiredly. He sat up, pushing Toby to the side as he did so. From the bathroom, the sound of the running faucet could be faintly heard. Stretching with a yawn, Maxwell stood from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. Behind him, Toby pranced excitedly after him and into the kitchen to eat, completely accustomed to his back left leg missing.  


“Mornin’, darlin’,” Maxwell greeted as he hugged Corey from behind at the bathroom sink. “Getting dolled up for me?”  


Corey snorted, “You wish, lover boy.”  


Pulling away, Maxwell gave a dramatic gasp, “Corey, you wound me.”  


“Not as much as your morning breath wounds me.”  


Maxwell let out a bark of laughter. “You’re so mean.”  


Corey moved away from the mirror and ran a hand through their short, curly red hair to tame it slightly. They grinned at Maxwell, grabbing his hand gently. “A dance to make up for it?”  


Letting Corey pull him into their arms, Maxwell began to sway to the music playing on the radio in another room. “A dance with you could make up for anything.”  


“You sap,” Corey said with a small smile. They moved slowly with Maxwell for a few more moments before pulling away. “Now get ready, you said you wanted to take photos at the park today.”  


Maxwell groaned, “I did say that, didn’t I? Oh, and tonight it the event at the Veteran’s Hall.”  


Corey nodded, “You’re going to do great.”  


“Ugh, I know.” Maxwell grinned as Corey rolled their grey eyes.  


“Stop stalling,” Corey said, kissing Maxwell and then heading into the kitchen.  


Maxwell smiled and turned to the mirror. He sighed, staring seriously into the mirror. His dark blue eyes stared back at him. “War never changes.”  


He finished his morning bathroom needs after a few minutes. After patting his face dry, he looked at his face in the mirror. His insanely freckled skin was a suntanned olive and his hair was a light brown. He had high cheekbones and a long, thin nose with a prominent bridge. Looking down at his thin body, he rubbed at the scars just under his pecks with a grin.  


Maxwell walked back into his and Corey’s room. Without pulling out his mat, he did a few standing yoga poses and breathing exercises. He let a satisfied smile fall onto his face, feeling little pain as he moved about. As he was getting dressed, the phone rang and Corey answered it. He stepped out of the bedroom, ignoring the unused nursery as he walked by, and kissed Corey on the cheek while they chatted on the phone.  


“Ah, good morning, sir,” Codsworth, a Mister Handy, greeted Maxwell, “I have your coffee ready. Just how you like it!”  


“Thank you, Codsworth.” Maxwell sipped his coffee gratefully. “Anything for me in the mail?”  


“Nothing, sir; ind handled it already.”  


“Alright. Has Toby given you any trouble?”  


“No, sir, not yet,” Codsworth said jovially, “He seems to be getting used to me.”  


Toby huffed from the couch. Maxwell smiled. “Take that as a compliment, Codsworth.”  


“Of course, sir.”  


Maxwell sat next to Toby on the couch, scratching the German Sheppard behind the ears. Behind him, Corey put the phone to their chest, “Hun, it’s your Mima. She wants to know if we want to come down to Florida for Christmas or if they should come up.”  


“Vaari and I can’t handle the cold. We should go down there this year.” Maxwell grinned over his shoulder. “You could see me in a speedo!”  


“Max,” Corey said disapprovingly, “No one wants to see that. He said we’ll come down.”  


Maxwell smirked into his cup, barely containing his laughter. He watched the news for a bit with Toby until Corey hung up the phone. They sat on the other side of Toby, rubbing his side. They turned their shoulders to face Maxwell.  


“Mister Callahan invited us over for a BBQ this weekend.”  


“Ooh, what’s the occasion?” Maxwell asked, handing his cup to Codsworth as he floated by.  
Corey grinned. “Embarrassing his niece. She got an A on her short story assignment.”  


Maxwell opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by the doorbell. “I’ll get it.”  


Opening the door, Maxwell was greeted by a middle-aged man in a trench coat and hat. “Hello, I am a representative for Vault-Tec. Your family has been given a spot in the local vault, Vault 111, for your service in the military! The vault will keep you safe should there be a…complete nuclear annihilation. I just need you to confirm some information.”  


“Oh, that’s great. What do you need to know?” Maxwell asked.  


“How many people are in your family?”  


“Myself and my husband. Will my dog be permitted into the vault?”  


The Vault-Tec representative gave a nervous chuckle. “Unfortunately, only humans will be allowed entry. No pets or robots will permitted.”  


Maxwell looked away in concern, his brows furrowed. “Oh, uh, okay. Then it’s just my husband and I.”  


“Alright.” The representative asked a few more question before leaving.  


Maxwell slumped onto the couch. Corey looked at him with sad eyes as he hugged Toby. “I love you, buddy.” Toby wagged his tail and licked Maxwell on the chin. Maxwell laughed. “Alright, alright. Go play you monster.” Toby jumped from the couch and ran through the doggy door to the backyard.  


“It’ll be okay, Max.” Corey scooted over on the couch next to Maxwell. “That dog is tougher than anything.”  


Maxwell nodded, pretending they were right. He kissed their cheek, pulling back with a grin. “Ooh, your beard is coming along nicely.”  


“You think so?” Corey started rubbing their face on Maxwell’s.  


“No!” He laughed. “Please, I give up.”  


Codsworth cut their play fight short. “Um, ind, sir, I think you should see what is on the TV.”  


They both stopped, slightly out of breath, and watched the screen. It only took a moment for the realization to sink in. Horror struck them hard, forcing them to their feet. Another moment and the sirens started blaring. Corey immediately pulled Maxwell by the arm around the couch and out the door before he could hesitate. They ran as hard and as fast as they could, passing their neighbors and friends.  


They stopped in front of the gate where everyone was being processed through. The Vault-Tec representative spoke with the guards before yelling and then being forced away. Maxwell and Corey stepped up the guard. He checked them off of a list and pushed them through. More guards through the fence pointed them in the direction of the vault. They ran toward a large circular platform where others had already gathered. Maxwell held tightly onto Corey, holding his breath. The guard were all shouting over the commotion to get the elevator down. Slowly, they started to descend, but in the distance there was an explosion.  


A strong wind blew into them, nearly knocking them all over. Maxwell thought that this was the end. He thought they would die so close to salvation. The elevator lowered dutifully, however, and the blast shield closed above them. They had made it. They were safe. The elevator was dark for a long minute until it reached the bottom of the shaft. There were people down there already. Some of the people had guard uniforms on; and other people wore lab coats.  


The Sanctuary survivors moved slowly through the facility. They received vault suits and were directed to the decontamination chambers. Maxwell held Corey for a moment. He kissed them looked into their eyes, promising everything and nothing at once. They both parted and stepped into pods across from each other. Maxwell gulped and tried to keep his breathing even. His body ached, but it paled in comparison to the pain of leaving his partner behind.  


His breathing slowed and he fell into a strange sleep.

********************************************

Maxwell gasped wildly as though he had just breached the surface of water. He coughed and shivered, feeling like his body was filled with ice. The door of his pod opened and he tumbled out of it onto the floor. Catching his breath, Maxwell slowly pushed himself onto his knees. He looked around, but he was the only one there. He stood carefully and peered into the pod Corey was in.  


“Oh, God.” Maxwell felt his breath leave him. “Corey?”  


He frantically reached for the lever for Corey’s pod. His hands shook uncontrollably, but they managed to yank the lever down. The pod door opened unbearably slow. Every inch it lifted felt like years being taken off of Maxwell’s life. Once the door was fully open, Maxwell hesitated to step forward. His feet moved numbly toward Corey.  


“C-Corey?”  


He didn’t receive a response. He reached up to their face, feeling the chilled skin against his hand. His teeth clenched as he felt for their pulse. Tears fell from his eyes and burned his cold cheeks. A sob ripped itself from his throat. He had just been with them. How could this happen? What had happened?  


Shaking painfully, Maxwell kissed Corey’s forehead and took their wedding ring. He stumbled through the room of pods, seeing the survivors all frozen permanently. Moving through the vault, he found a gun and a security baton. He used them on the enormous cockroaches that he ran into. His mind raced as he walked. He saw skeletons and huge bugs and he had just gotten to the entrance of the vault. Picking up the Pipboy he found, he unsealed the vault and stepped on to the elevator.  


Blinding light filled his vision when he reached the surface. At first he was relieved, but he felt nothing but dread when his eyes adjusted. The world was dead all around. There were more skeletons strewn amongst the dead trees and grass. What had he woken up to? He trudged numbly down the hill, hardly taking in any more of his surroundings. As he neared his home, he could hear a sound he barely had time to learn. Codsworth.  


Codsworth was puttering about in front of the almost destroyed house. He seemed to be tending the plants, but the plants were beyond dead. Maxwell stepped up to him. “Codsworth?”  


“Oh, sir, you’re home at last!” Codsworth said happily. “My, you’re over 200 years late for dinner, but not to worry. I’m sure I can whip something up. You must be famished.”  


“200 years?” Maxwell asked quietly.  


“210, to be more accurate. Where is ind? Are they with you?”  


Maxwell shook his head. “Corey is dead.”  


They spoke for a bit longer. Maxwell convinced Codsworth to be honest and that Corey truly was gone. Maxwell let him spout random statements about the new world as he stepped into the house. The sound of movement caught his attention, causing him to look to his right. On the couch was a dog-like creature with grey, scaly skin. Maxwell froze on the spot, watching the creature lift its head to look at him. The dog slowly slipped off of the couch and stared at him.  
It had three legs.  


“Toby?”  


The dog’s ears twitched. It cocked it head before stepping toward Maxwell cautiously. Maxwell held out the back of his hand for the dog to sniff it. It immediately started to wag its tail and pounced on Maxwell, licking him excitedly. Crying happily, Maxwell petted him and hugged him. Toby whined and bounced, happy to have his partner back at last.

**Author's Note:**

> Maxwell is a Cuban-Finnish American  
> Mima - Grandma  
> Vaari - Grandpa  
> This is the first fic I've posted on AO3, as well as the only fic I've ever published ever. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
